Whatever You Do, Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark
by Khloe-SavageDream
Summary: Young Jared Leto settles in Oakton, Virgina after his family stop travelling. At the same time, Willow Rosenburg settles in the same place. Both Jared and Willow miss the wild and crave to return, when the two meet a new wild adventure begins.
1. Leave The Wild

**W -** Tick, tick, tick BOOM.

No, that was not a bomb. That was the sound of my alarm clock. The boom? Yeah, that was the sound of D-day arriving. Time to start high school.

Now, as if starting high school isn't bad enough, we'd moved. I was used travelling, but we'd been settled in Philadelphia for a while. Now, here, I knew no-one. Back home it wouldn't have been too bad, me and Daisy would have been fine together, but no. We have to move across tons of States in live in Oakton, Virginia. Like anyone's heard of that anyway.

Fucking great.

Just to add insult to injury, I knew I wouldn't fit in. How? I'm not a preppy, pretty dumbass. I'm not short, sweet, sexy and tanned. I'm pale. I'm dark haired. I'm tall. I'm outcast by my gypsy history, and it's not like I can hide it either, my Mom called me Willow Rosenburg.

So amongst knowing no-one, I would stand out like a prep at a Marilyn Manson concert.

Fuck my life.

My alarm screamed again. A heavy hand slammed down on it, not mine. My Dad's.

"Get up," He growled. He was a tough Dad, cared too much for grades and such. It was his fault we had to stay here. He insisted on me getting a 'proper good education'. I've never been academically smart, always artistic. I was good at English though, I could write almost anything.

I tumbled from my bed.

**J – **I wanted to be excited, but I would miss the outside. I wanted to be excited but I'd miss the green. Come to think of it, I didn't even want to go.

High school.

Overjoyed I'm sure. It would be my first time in real life schooling. My other tutors had been actors, acrobats, and musicians. All people who had a flare of interest and colour, my new teachers would be grey and boring in comparison. On the positive side, Shannon was being forced to go to – despite his constant complaining about being too old – so I wouldn't be alone.

It's 6AM. Normally I would be running now, deep in the trees following twisting trails, or the winding river in Colorado. I love the wild, with all its horror and beauty. Raised with wolves in a travelling family is how I like to think of myself. In towns like Oakton, no-one is free. They think differently to me. They only see the black and the white of their day to day no lives, no change. They think I'm a rough lad, who has no manners. That isn't true. If anything I have more than them.


	2. A Name As Wild As Yours

**W – **Mom insisted on driving me, and she wouldn't wait around the corner for me. This was more embarrassing than being me. No...Wait... no it wasn't. First thing I noticed about high school – the kids were like animals, and I know a lot about animals. We'd travelled pretty much everywhere. I'd seen all the States in America, seen Christ the Lord in Rio, even trawled along the Amazon. I'd seen animals other 16 year old girls could only dream of seeing. Tigers. I'd always loved tigers, tigers and birds. Such beautiful creatures. I envy those animals now, envy the way they ran free amongst the trees, whilst I walk the corridors of hell.

I wandered for a short while looking for my classes, hoping to spot someone else alone. Everyone passed me in groups of twos and threes. No-one even looked twice. I gave up, and slumped into class early. Geography was first class. I suppose it could have been worse. Home room didn't sound too pleasant, everyone had been in groups for years now, and I was the weird outsider.

I was captivated in my thoughts of how the natural beauty in my soul angered at this horrifying place, when I heard the door slam shut.

**J – **High school is fucking hell on earth. It's disgusting, destructive and evil perhaps. I'd looked around the whole place and the only green was the forest that Flint Hill backed onto. Nice, only it's fenced off. It pained me to think that my love was so near yet so far.

This thought devoured me as I walked to class. Geography. Probably just learning the names of the States. Too boring, too trivial. Why can't we learn of the little towns and distant places? The places that people pray to God they will someday visit.

It wasn't until I saw the girl jump I realised what I'd done. The thoughts had eaten away at me so much; I'd slammed the door in fierce anger.

I stared at the girl... She was pretty, a lot prettier than the rest. Innocent, a small blush in her cheeks as my gaze met hers. There was something, something natural about her. Something which calmed me greatly.

"Jared," I said. I immediately felt utterly stupid. It was a moronic way to introduce myself. I could have started with 'hi!' or 'hello'. I should have asked how she was. Wait no, I SHOULD have apologised. Oh, Jared, how you've ruined this already.

The girl looked stunned, almost shocked that I'd spoken. I smiled, slightly lopsided. She smiled back, nerves fading from her expression.

"Willow," she whispered. Beautiful. The way she spoke was beautiful. Beautiful, her name was so natural, reminding me of willow trees and rivers. Her eyes were dark, as was her hair. I wondered, for a moment if she was the same as me. I ruled out the thought almost immediately. How could I believe any girl would be like me? Girls care for makeup, cell phones, slumber parties and boys. Or at least, that is what Shannon tells me. I coughed.

"Sorry, about the door, I didn't scare you did I?" I attempted to sound cool, calm. I failed, my voice shook, showing how nervous I truly felt.

"No, that's okay," she answered. The same soft tone as before only louder. She seemed eased, more confident. I wanted to talk more, I really did. Only the bell sounded and the chorus of rushing student drowned out my desires.

I took my seat behind Willow, as I passed I caught sight of what she was drawing. A tiger, a snarling sinister tiger. My favourite animal.


End file.
